Hillary Clinton criticized Bernie Sanders’ plan for making college affordable in a press conference Friday arguing, “my plan is more comprehensive, because I am aiming at getting the costs down, not putting more money in the system so that the costs keep rising.”
Clinton, speaking in Durham, New Hampshire, argued that “people who are getting an education need to have some responsibility for their education. So I have a plan that will make it possible for anybody attending a four-year college or university to avoid having to borrow money for tuition, but we are still going to have to expect the students to do their part.”
Reporter: I, talking to college students in New Hampshire, it seems pretty clear that they would vote on college affordability and why should they vote for your plan rather than Bernie Sanders plan?
Hillary Clinton: Well, there will be a lot of time for me to compare and contrast, but briefly, I believe that my plan is more comprehensive, because I am aiming at getting the costs down, not putting more money in the system so that the costs keep rising. I have a heavy emphasis on the paying down the debt and different ways to help the students do exactly that. I also believe that people who are getting an education need to have some responsibility for their education. So I have a plan that will make it possible for anybody attending a four-year college or university to avoid having to borrow money for tuition, but we are still going to have to expect the students to do their part. I believe in the students working, you know, ten hours a week is what I recommend. So I think that my plan is really aimed at addressing the issue issues that I hear young Americans talking to me about.
Reporter: More about the ten hours a week?
Clinton: I think it would be beneficial and helpful for students to make their own contribution if they are seeking financial help for them to make their own contribution, and for the colleges to get costs down by having students working toward the payments of, their dues, their fees, their living expenses. No, but it is recommended and you can go online and see all of the specifics of what I am offering, and in particular the national service component and the young parent component is something that I think is overlooked by too many people and not in part of other people’s plans.